Show-case.



NITED STATES PATENT OFFIOE.

SHOW-CASE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 23, 190 6.

Application filed April 22, 1905. Serial No. 256,968.

To all whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, ARTHUR T. HALLocK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Canandaigua, in the county of Ontario, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Show-Cases, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawmgs.

This invention relates to a show-case, and

particularly to a clamp for use in such casesv comprised of abutting glass plates.

The invention has for an object to avoid the necessity of boring holes through the glass plates for the attachment of the clamps, as such drilling or boring develops fine and often invisible cracks in the glass,which under the conditions of use spread and cause frequent breakage, extending from the point of boring. It has been found that all of these obj ections can be avoided by grinding or otherwise providing a recess in the edge of the abutting plates, with which the clamp is fric tionally engaged by means of aface-plate and a clamping-plate held into gripping contact with the glass to be held thereby.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel construction and arrangement of this clamp and also of a holder for the top plate of a show-case.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved construction and arrangement of the clamp for the lower edge of a vertical plate and also a clamp intermediate of the top and bottom edges of said plates when the height of the case or size of the plates is such as to require additional reinforcementas, for instance, in the case of a show-window or other large structure.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be hereinafter set forth, and the novel features thereof deined by the appended claims.

Inthe drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective of the show-case having the invention applied thereto with parts broken away; Fig. 2, a central vertical section through the same; Fig. 3, a detail perspective of the members of the top clamp separated from each other and from the glass plates; Fig. 4, a similar view of the intermediate angle-clamp; Fig. 5, a like view of the bottom edge clamp, and Fig.

6 a vertical section on the line 6 6 of Fig. 1.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures of the drawings.

This invention is adapted for application to a show-case or other similar structure of any desired size or arrangement of the plates; but for the purpose of illustration a rectangular case is shown comprising the front plate A and the opposite end plates A which are secured together with their edges abuttingl by means of a top clamp B. This top clamp comprises a face-plate with a lug or projection B extending from one face thereof and seated in a recess A2, ground or otherwise formed in the top edges of the abutting plates. This top clamp B has its opposite members formed at any desired angle to each other relative to the angles of thefaces of the case, and upon the face of this lug a clamping-plate B2 is disposed, said plate being held and adjusted into contact with the glass plates in any desired manner-for instance, by means of a screw B extending into a suitable threaded recess in the lug just described. For the purpose of permitting an extended movement of this plate toward the face-plate of the clamp the lug is provided with an inclined face B4, tapering downwardly, so that the clamping-plate has a bearing thereon at its upper edge and is permitted to travel toward the glass plate at its lower edge, and thus compensate for any differences in the thickness of the glass plate clamped thereby. For the purpose of effecting frictional contact between the face and clamping plates and the glass plate to be held thereby an elastic packing B5, of any desired materialfor instance, rubber-is applied to the contacting faces of these plates. The lug B is seated in the recesses of the glass plates, so as to extend flush with the upper edges thereof, and thus permit contact of the top plate A3 therewith. This top plate may be retained in position by various means, a desirable forml of which is herein shown, and comprises a holder O, having an angular body adapted to rest in a similar seat B6 upon the upper face of the clamp, which prevents any lateral movement of the holder, which may be further held against any vertical movement by means of the screw O This holder is provided with hooked arms O2, disposed at an angle to each other and adapted to embrace the edges of the top plate, as shown in Fig. 1. The holder is formed of cast or other stiH material, so that the hooks thereof cannot be bent or forced outward awayfrom the top plate. This top plate may be inserted in position by. slipping beneath IOO the hooked arms and is retained against removal in such manner by means of the angleplates D at the rear of the case, each thereof eing provided With an elastic facing D for proper contact With the glass.

In show-windows or large cases it is frequently desirable to use a supplemental angle-clam between the top and bottom edges of the pfate, and for this purpose an angleplate E is provided, as shown in Fig. 4, and adapted to seat in suitable ground recesses A4, formed in the abuttin -plates, into Which the lug or projection E', disposed intermediate of the top and bottom edges of this plate E, enters, and thus holds the plates against a vertical movement, as Well as horizontal movement toward and from each other. This projection or lug E is provided With inclined faces E2, similar to those hereinbefore described, and upon these faces the clampingplates E3 are mounted. The adjacent faces of both clamping-plates F.3 and the faceplates E of the angle-clamp are provided with suitable elastic packing E4 for frictional contact with the surface of the glass. It has also been found desirable under some conditions to provide a clamp for the loWer edge of the glass plates, and this purpose is effected by means of the clamping-plate F, (shown in Fig. 5.,) Which is provided upon one side With a lug` F', having an inclined face F2, upon which a clamping-plate F3 is mounted, said plate and the plate F being both provided With elastic packing F4 for contact With the surface of the glass. These plates are secured together in any desired manner-for instance, by neans of the screw F5, extending into the lug F', While the clamp may be retained .in contact with the bottom casing A5 of the case by means of screws F, extending through the plate and into the casing, said parts being usually covered by the finishing-strip A, as shown in Fig. 2.v

It Will be seen that the foregoing construction and arrangement of parts entirely obviates the boring or drilling of the glass plates forming the Window or show-case and permits them to be joined by the clamps having the projection extending through the ground recesses, said clamps being adapted to secure a firm hold upon the glass plates to retain the same rigidly in position by means of the mounting of the clamping-plate thereof,which provides for any differences or inequalities in the surface of the glass plates held thereby. The invention also provides means for retaining these plates against vertical movement in the clamp applied to the loWer edge thereof, While the intermediate clamp effectually braces and holds these plates against sagging or warping at their abutting edges. The construction of the top plate having the lug or projection extending therefrom into the recessed edges of the glass plates permits a flush surface at the top of the vertical plates, so

that contact is secured over the entire surface by the top plate, which is held rigidly in position by means of the holders mounted in the angular seats to prevent any possible lateral movement thereof.

' Having described my invention and set forth its merits, What I claim,and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The combination With a glass plate having a recessed edge, of a face-plate provided With a laterally-extending lug upon its inner face of greater depth than the thickness of the glass plate and extending through the recess therein, and a clamping-plate mounted upon the inner face of the lug and bearing upon the glass plate.

2. The combination of glass plates slotted at their intersection, of an angle-clamp comprising a face-plate, a lug extending inward at both sides of the angle thereof, a clampingplate mounted upon said lug, means for adjusting said clamping-plate toward the faceplate, and an elastic packing upon the adjacent faces of said plates.

3. A clamp comprising a face-plate, a lug extending from one face thereof, a clampingplate mounted upon said lug, means for adjusting said clamping-plate toWard the faceplate, an elastic packing upon the adjacent faces of said plates, and a holder mounted upon the upper face of said lug and provided With hooked arms disposed at an angle to 4each other.

4. A plate-clamp comprising a face-plate, a lug extending from one side thereof and having an inclined face, a clamping-plate mounted upon said inclined face, and an adjusting-screw extending through said clamping-plate into said lug.

5. In a show-case, glass plates recessed at their abutting edges, an angular face-plate provided With lateral lugs disposed in said recesses and extending about the angle of the plate, and clamping-plates mounted upon said lugs to engage the inner faces of the glass plates.

6. In a show-case, abutting glass plates, a top clamp provided With means to engage said plates and an angular seat upon its upper surface, a holder having an angular portion to t in said seat and provided With hooked arms disposed at an angle to each other to engage the top plate and means extending through said angular portion and into said seat to secure the holder thereto.

7. In a show-case comprising abutting glass plates, a clamp for frictionally engaging the loWer edge of a vertical plate, a top clamp en aging the upper edges of said plates, a ho der for a top plate mounted upon said top clamp, and an angle-clamp disposed intermediate of the top and bottom edges of said plates.

Y 8. In a show-case, glass plates having ground recesses at their abutting edges, a

IOO

IIO

ISO

clamp provided with a face-plate engaging In testimony whereof I aix my signature the glss plates lporflr one sird a prcjeotion in presence of tWo Witnesses.

exten ing inWar om sai vaoeate eX- tending through said recesses, and oihmping- ARTHUR T' HALLOCK' plates mounted upon said proj eotion to lie at Witnesses:

an angle to the face-plate and engage the op- M. A. COYKENDALL,

posite face ofthe glass plates. C. R. BUCHANAN. 

